


A Soul for a Soul

by Ram92



Series: Legacy [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Gen, Infinity Stone Soul World (Marvel), Ironheart, Ironman is a Tony Stark based AI, Morgan Stark-centric (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Set in the future, Soul Realm, Soul Stone (Marvel), Vormir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21899617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ram92/pseuds/Ram92
Summary: Steve Rogers took all the Stones back, as a good soldier. All of them.Now, a new Avengers gathering of the future needs them all again. Peter and Morgan find themselves on their way to Vormir, where the Soul Stone is apparently located. We all know what is going to happen.
Relationships: Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Series: Legacy [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738024
Kudos: 12





	A Soul for a Soul

<< A soul for a soul. >>

Morgan felt as if the breath had been taken away from her. Barton had never felt the need to share this part of the job, apparently. Not with them. And now she knew what his stupid little plan was. An old Avenger, all the way, she thought. And once again, it hurt. She felt her legs failing her as she realized what she had to do. She needed to sit, she needed to think. She needed to find a way out of this.

Peter looked at her, a new kind of terror in his eyes.

<< Well, I guess this is it. >> he said in a feeble voice.

Morgan lost track of her thoughts and looked back at him.

<< It’s kind of ironic that we got here together, I suppose. >> he added, fidgeting with the web-shooters on his wrist.

In doing this, he completely missed the absolute puzzlement in her eyes.

<< You know, the Stones already took someone I loved from me and this time I can’t... >>

There she seemed to find her voice again.

<< Peter... >> she tried to stop him.

<< ...this time I can’t let it happen again, I... >> he kept going in his broken breath, not listening to her. << ...I just can’t. I can’t let you... It needs to be me, I... >>

<< Peter, it’s not you. >>

He finally got to raise his gaze to meet hers. He looked confused.

<< The one I love the most, it’s not you. >> she clarified, bluntly.

The guy was completely taken aback.

<< But... >> he stuttered. << I thought... the other day, we... >>

<< You get carried away way too easily, Parker. >> she snorted as she turned away as quickly as she could, only to find the Red Skull there to witness the whole scene.

<< Then, what- what do we do now? >> Peter had to ask.

The weight of it all fell back on her chest again.

The Red Skull was looking right at her, not saying a word. He seemed to know what was about to happen. They both did.

Morgan snapped her fingers.

It took some time before the whole suit got together and floating before them.

<< What’s up, kids? >> he asked landing on the grey stone of Vormir.

Peter shifted his eyes from him to Morgan and then to him again.

<< Morgan, you can’t do this. >> he ventured to step in.

Morgan closed her eyes, trying not to listen, trying not to think.

<< I know how much you care. >> Peter insisted. << But it’s not real, the Stone won’t take this. You’ll only end up breaking...>>

<< Let the Stone judge what is true. >> interrupted him the Red Skull.

Morgan said nothing, painfully aware of all the cognitive processes going on inside the AI she had built. Provided with no background, Iron Man’s system was trying to piece together the scattered information he could get from the surroundings. He had been cut out of all the channels so far. Even if no one else had ever been so close, not even he could read her mind. She had to explain.

<< The Soul Stone demands a sacrifice. >> she said trying to steady her voice as much as she could.

It’s just an AI, she repeated to herself, I can piece it together once again. It won’t hurt, it’s not really him. It has his voice, it has his brain, but it’s not really him. It won’t hurt a bit. Nobody will. And I can rebuild him from the start. It’ll be just a matter of time.

But deep down she knew that wasn’t true. You could not trick an Infinity Stone.

They would always come to take their toll.

<< I need you to gather all of your software and data on this one suit, deactivate your propellers and jump. >>

She found the courage to raise her eyes on him. They hurt, but they were dry.

<< Iron Man, I need you to die. >>

The armour took a moment to glance over the edge of the cliff behind him and then got back to her.

<< No problem, Little Miss. >> he said.

In his faceless still expression, she thought she could see the shadow of his holographic smile, sly as ever.

<< After all, I am Iron Man. >>

He stepped back.

The first thing Morgan noticed was the sky.

It was impossible not to, honestly. It was orange. Very orange. It was like the sunset had spread all over the universe.

Then there was the setting. It didn’t even look like a real place. And still... And still she knew where she was. Scattered around there were just enough elements to let her remember. The little wooden house her father had built for her such a long time ago, the shimmering of the lake in the distance and just a hint of earth, bushes and trees all around her. It was the old house by the lake. The one she could never forget.

Only then she noticed she was not alone.

It was him. The holographic light had lost its halo, but the figure was just the same. The grinning smile that broke up in the middle of his face as their eyes met was definitely his, even though his eyes seemed more tired, sad and deep than they had ever been.

<< Hey, Morgan. >>

<< Hey. >>

They stood, one in front of the other, both aware that they would never again.

<< What’s with this place? >> he asked averting his gaze from her to the orange sky.

A restless, curious mind, to the very end.

<< It’s the Soul Realm. >> she answered eagerly, grateful to have something to say. << The Stone is playing mind tricks on us or giving us a last... >> her voice faded into speechlessness.

<< A last chance. >> he concluded in her stead, with a bitter smile. << I guess I deserved this, saving the universe and everything. >>

That hurt, right to her stomach.

<< Was it the right choice, Little Miss? >>

He was looking right at her.

She felt something in her throat growing heavier and heavier.

<< It couldn’t be different. >> she managed to croak as she felt her voice fade in little more than a whisper. << It would have been either me or Peter, if... >>

She didn’t see it coming.

Her heart missed a beat, as her hands raised mechanically to return his hug.

<< I’m so sorry, Morgan. >>

He was warm, as if he were real. A real human being, in the end.

The first tears broke away from her eyes and she hugged him back.

<< I’m so sorry you have to go through this, I’m sorry I won’t be there for you. >>

<< It’s not your fault. >> she replied, rocking herself into his arms one last time, as she used to do when she was a little girl. << You’re just saving the world once again. I guess that’s a glitch no one could ever repair. >>

He chuckled, his breast shook right next to her ear.

<< You sound just like your mother. >>

<< That’s totally not true. >> she rebelled with a grimace.

He was looking at her again, pushing her hair away from her face, reminding her of a gesture of his that had been long lost in her memory.

<< Just promise me you’re gonna be alright. >>

Morgan found herself smiling.

<< Promise. >>

He smirked back.

<< I’m gonna miss you, kid. >>

<< I’ll miss you too. >>

The air between them grew suddenly colder. The warmth of his hands was nothing but a memory on her skin, as his face started fading away.

<< Goodbye, Maguna. >> she heard him say, like in a rattle.

Morgan looked around her. The wooden house was gone, no shimmering water in the distance, just loose soil, rubble, twisted metal and blood. The sky had turned into blue, like on Earth.

Scattered around a bunch of people stood in what looked like a circle. And she knew them.

<< No. >> she whispered as she started running.

But she knew. He, Iron Man, would never have called her like that. He had no breast to chuckle with. She knew where she was.

<< Dad? >>

He was right there, on the ground, in his shuttered armour, her mother crouched in front of him. They didn’t seem to get any closer and yet she could hear her whispering at him.

<< Dad. >>

He stayed still, frozen, only his eyes were still alive, looking over her mother’s shoulder.

<< Dad! >>

<< Morgan! >>

And they could see her.

She stretched her hand out, she could almost reach him.

<< Dad! >>

<< Morgan, you gotta hold on! >>

She saw the image fade again beyond her stretched fingers.

The light had gone. Only the darkness of a never ending eclipse surrounded her. No soil under her feet, but a sheer cliff, and she was hanging above it. Beyond her hand, a figure of scattered metal gleamed on the ground.

<< Morgan, please! >>

Morgan looked up. Peter was holding her left wrist, an imploring look in his eyes.

His grip wasn’t steady, she realized. She was slowly slipping away.

<< Morgan, please. >> he repeated, in a whimper. << Let’s go back home. >>

She felt something in her right hand. Something heavy, something warm. She let her gaze slid down again. Iron Man was there, shuttered into pieces, useless, dead.

She opened her hand and saw it glazing in the dark. The soul stone.

<< Morgan, please. >>

She closed her right hand in a fist until it hurt.

Her left hand was sliding down through his to the edge of her palm.

Her fingers grabbed Peter’s wrist.


End file.
